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Rhubarb Bundt Cake

April 23, 2022 Colleen Stem
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Rhubarb time is fast approaching. All of my rhubarb is already popping out of the ground, mostly just the leaves (don’t eat those, they are poisonous) but it will only be a week or two before the stalks are big and juicy so I can now safety use up the rest of the rhubarb that I had stashed in the freezer. And for that a cake was in order. Nothing super fancy, just a straight up rhubarb situation, with a little lemon drizzle. No strawberry. No nuts. Just a lot of rhubarb because sometimes that is all you need. (Plus the cake was for the mr and he doesn’t like other things to encroach on his rhubarb). A big delicious rhubarb bundt cake.

It is a spring time essential. You need this.

Now to the rhubarb bundt cake!

The stuff. Flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon. Chopped rhubarb (frozen and thawed), plant milk, oil, brown and white sugar, vanilla ,applce cider vinegar, powdered sugar, and a lemon.

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In a large bowl miix the oil, vanilla and sugars together until completely combined, In a smaller bowl whisk all the dry ingredients together.

Add the dry to the wet along with the zest of the lemon and the gently mix while pouring in the vinegar and milk. Fold in chopped rhubarb.

Cake batter.

Pour batter into a WELL greased and floured bundt pan. Trust me, don’t forget to get all the nooks with grease. A stuck bundt sucks.

And pop that bundt into the oven and bake.

A little over an hour later you got yourself a gorgeous golden brown cake.

And ever so gently get that bundt out of pan. If your top gets stuck like mine did, all is well, just repair as best as you can. The cake will still taste amazing..

Once cake is out of pan, let cool on a wire rack.

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Make a little lemon glaze while its cooling. Just powdered sugar and lemon juice. Mix until a thick but drizzle -able consistency,

Drizzle on the glaze. And because I screwed up the top when taking it out of the pan I wanted to gussy it up a little so I added a few plops of strawberry jam.

I think is looked nice, not better, but nice. Ha!

Then you eat cake. Simple as that.

-C


Rhubarb Bundt Cake

makes a bundt cake

  • 2 1/2 cups flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablepoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 cup neutral oil like canola

  • 1 1/8 cup plant milk

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup white sugar

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb (fresh or frozen and thawed and chopped into 1/4-1/2 inch chunks)

  • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 1 lemon

  • 2 tabslpoons strawberry jam (optional)

Preheat oven to 375.

Add vinegar to the milk.

In a large bowl mix together the oil, vanilla, and brown and white sugar until compelelty combined. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, salt, zest from the lemon, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon. Dump the dry into the wet and gently mix while pouring in the milk and vinegar mixture. Once mixed fold in the chopped rhubarb.

Grease and flour a bundt pan. Pour the cake batter into the pan, tap the bottom on the counter to remove any bubbles , then place into preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour or until a deep golden brown and a tester poked into the center comes out clean.

Once baked, remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

While it is cooling make the glaze. Squeeze the juice of the half the lemon into the powdered sugar and mix until combined. If it seems to thick to drizzle, add more juice. To thin, add more powder sugar.

Once cake has cooled, drizzle glaze all over. If you want fancy and a little flavor pop, add a few plops of strawberry jam on top.

Then you eat cake.

Cake will be good in airtight container on counter for 4-5 days. Any longer just cut it up and freeze it.

In cake, Vegan Tags Rhubarb, bundt cake, vegan, spring, dessert, cake, sweet, easy, plant based, dairy free
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Sunday Happy

April 17, 2022 Colleen Stem

You knw that feeling you get when someone steels your car? Oh don’t worry, my car wasn’t stolen, but the mr’s truck, yeah, that was stolen. While he was working. With a bunch or his really expensive tools in it on top of like a million other things that suck ass to get stolen.

And basically that sums up the week. 😬

Actually the week started off just fine, well maybe kind of blah. We both have been feeling a bit shitty (many tests confirm not covid) but spring allergies are kicking and I always get the foggy brain feels this time of year so whatever. I took feeling like crap in stride and decided that I was going to spend the week spring cleaning (or spring mess making) and throwing a daily 10+pound pot. And for the most part I did (well I made some messes and I missed few days of throwing) which was super duper satisfying. If you throw on a wheel you know that centering a hunk of clay that big is really a full body experience. My core is sore as heck and all my studio clothes are covered in clay. As for the cleaning, well it always starts off messy and I am still in that messy state so now I need to rectify all that which basically means I just need to fill up the recycling, donation box, and trash with everything. I want to get rid of it all.

So back to the truck. Mid day Wednesday I get a prank call form the mr telling me his truck was stolen. I say prank because who the hell gets their car stolen. And if you someone where to steal a car, olden;t it be a nicer one then the mr’s? Turns out someone wanted it. And so it became the thing that pretty much made the rest of the week a shit show. But not all bad. We did have Barb and the littles also came over for puzzles, food, and bear tossing. And of course ragging on the mr about his stolen truck because duh. I also convinced them to come over this coming up week during school break for a day or two of manual labor, paid of course, so I am counting in little hands to help me get my outside looking pristine!

But yah, the truck thing kind of overtook the days. The police said the longer it was gone the less likely we were to get it back and if we did it would probably be in not so great condition. That reality sucked. I spent more time then I ever wanted combing through craigslist and online market places for someone selling a truck like ours and tools. Even time I left the house I was distracted by looking at cars, parked and driving. We had our friends and friend of friends on the lookout. And you know what? A few days after the incident (we call it that now) one of those friends of a friend of a friend, well they spotted it. She texted the mr, called the police and after the mr chased the guy down on his scooter(HAHA no joke) the guy ditched it and now the truck is happily waiting at the police staton until they can process it.

PHEW!!! I was starting to get really mad!

And now it is Sunday, and Easter Sunday to boot. Also it would be Seans 33rd birthday today (fucker). A day to celebrate with the fam so we are going over to the moms house and having a thing with food snd easter egg hunt and all the jazz. And then if I have any time the afternoon, back to that cleaning. Want to get that shit done before it gets really nice out and I never want to come inside again.

Interent from the week.

-2 Seasoned Thrifters Weigh in on the Controversial Ethics of the Resale Economy. What do you think? Personally I think it is what it is and sometimes you get the deal, sometime you don’t and if someone can resell for more money, well good for them. As long as it is not stuff like food and essentials that people need, only stuff that is non essential like brand name clothes or artwork.

-I know very little about Easter. What You Didn't Know About What You Already Know About Easter. And also. The Ancient Origins of the Easter Bunny

-Overwintering Turns Bitter Vegetables Sweet. Could It Do the Same for Me?

-How is your bean cooking game these days? How to Cook Beans: The Epicurious Myth-Busting Guide

-Why do I not live here?The Narrow Kvitfjell Cabin on Top of the Mountains in Norway

-This garden shed kitchen situation is pretty much perfect

-Oh watch out, it could be coming for us! The biggest comet ever found is cruising through our solar system’s far reaches

-Read this and be smart. Everything Everywhere All at Once, explained by a quantum physicist

Pictures fro the week.

In sunday happy Tags stolen car, spring, family, pottery, ceramics, everyday life, pictures from the week, Sunday happy, internet links
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Sunday Happy

April 10, 2022 Colleen Stem

Have you noticed all the things popping out of the ground? This time every year I get hyper aware of what is stating to grow and then get all sorts of exited when I see a new flower or weed for that matter, emerge from the brownish still thawing ground. And then my brain and body knows it’s only just a few weeks away that there will be green everywhere and all of a sudden it will be summer. Excited as hell for the green. Not so much summer. I just really don’t want to be hot.

So have you filed your taxes yet? This past week was the week we had an appointment with the accountant but I ended up canceling it. It’s not that I haven’t thought a lot about them, even attempted to maybe get them finished but you know what, I decided that I am filing an extension and so yeah. They are not done and sure I feel a little relief that I am not rushing but also a little annoyed that I have extended the dread for longer. My new goal date is May 15. I’ll get my shit together by then.

Other then not finishing our taxes, the week was alright. I basically spent most of my time making and or glazing pots and taking pictures to update the shop. The mr has started back to working like a crazy guy again so he has been gone all day every day doing some big restaurant kitchen remodel so I haven’t seen much of him. I did get to see Megan and commiserate with her on her 40th birthday.HA! I also started repotting some of the plants around the house (I ran out of soil) and I went for my first real bike ride of the season! Oh does my bike need a tune up!

Sunday! The mr and I are hoping to do a little something outside today. Its been raining a lot so all the trails are pretty muddy (it’s actually bad for the trails to walk on them in mud season), but I think we will be able to find a nice outdoor something to do. I am feeling a little stir crazy, feeling the call of the woods hard. I need to be outside!

-Stuff from the internet this week.

-Oh yuk. If you buy it, wash that shit well! 2022's "Dirty Dozen" List Reveals the Most Pesticide-Laden Produce at the Store

-Here's why most of us love the smell of vanilla and peaches and not sweaty feet. I know a guy who likes the smell of sweaty feet….. Just saying.

-How Do We Get People to Compost? Seriously, who isn’t composting? You really must if you haven’t already started. Just do it.

-I am one of those people that have a hard time finding pleasure in too much pleasure. I need balance. I need to be a little uncomfortable sometimes or else pleasure is boring. So I guess I am not addicted so that is good. Too much pleasure can lead to addiction. How to break the cycle and find balance.

-This A-Frame is siimple and lovely. Reading net nook is awesome.

-Different Types of Paprika, Explained.

-I Get Paid to Go on Fake Dates With People to Prepare Them for Real Ones. You know, this sounds like hard work. I wouldn’t want to do it.

-I am still grieving Washer but slowly am thinking about another dog. Very very slowly. What I’ve Learned from Loving a New Dog While Grieving Another

Pictures from the week.

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In sunday happy Tags Sunday Happy, everyday life, pottery, pictures from the week, Vermont, spring, internet links, ceramics
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London Fog

April 9, 2022 Colleen Stem

I basically drink only 3 different things, black coffee, tea, and water. Rarely will you find me doing anything fancy with any of those beverages, and when I say fancy, I mean like adding extra flavor or sweetners or anything that involves an extra step besides drinking the water, brewing the coffee, or steeping the tea bag. What can I say, I am a simple drink gal. So this drink is a little out of the norm for me but you know what, it is my new favorite afternoon drink, especially on these cool damp spring days when I really need the warmth and a little coziness. Perfect for curling up on the couch with a blanket and good book and listening to the rain fall.

Ok so what exactly is a Lonfdon fog? Well it is bacsilly just milky early grey tea or what some call a earl grey latte. And yeah I know, I do not need to tell anyone my discovery of the goodness of a mug of milky tea but there is one little ingredient that changed it from a simple “ yeah whatever duh “ to a cup of something special. .It is the tiny splash of vanilla extract. It adds another depth of flavor that I have not experience before with tea and just makes it so very delicious. I am kind of obsessed with it at the moment.

So if you are like me and want or need a little tea inspiration, well here it is. A little something fancy, or at least fancier then plain black tea.

To the tea!

The stuff. An earl grey tea bag (decaf if you want), plant milk, vanilla extract, and sweetener of your choice.

First step is to brew tea which I really think you all know how to do so do that.

And add the sweetener if using now.

Add the vanilla to the milk. If you want a slight froth, shake it up in a jar for a minute. For a more pronounced foam, you can use a milk frother if you have one or a hand blender. (Hand blender works great to create a good foam.)

And then you pour in the milk, (scoop foam if you made some) and thats that.

Drink your hot tea. Enjoy the spring weather!

-C


London Fog

makes one drink

  • 1 earl grey tea bag (or a serving of your favorite loose leaf)

  • 1/4 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon (more or less to taste) maple or honey or any sweetener you like

  • 8-10 oz boiling water

  • 1/4-1/2 cup milk of choice

Place tea bag into your favorite mug and pour in boiling water. Let tea steep for 3-4 minutes. Remove tea bag if you want or for a stronger cup leave the tea bag in. Mix in sweetener if using.

Place milk and vanilla in a jar and shake for a minutes or two until you get a decent amount of foam. If the milk is foamy but with big bubbles, tap the bottom of the jar on the counter a few times and the bubbles will condense. If you have a hand blender or frother you can use those for more pronounced foam.

Once you have you frothy milk pour it into the tea. Scoop foam on top.

Drink.

In drinks Tags tea, London fog, drink, vegan, hot tea, earl grey latte
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Sunday Happy

April 3, 2022 Colleen Stem

Welp it is April and that means the winter stuff is getting laundered and pushed to the back of the closet, that the heavy down comforter is getting replaced with a medium weight blanket, and the heat, its off! Yeah I am a winter person, but spring, spring is my near second and I am raring and ready for it. All I want to do is play in the dirt. I want to get dirty!

Phew. That is what I am saying after this week. I went kind of hard at it beause I needed to. I spent a lot of time on my feet, glazing all the pots, loading kilns, unloading kilns, sanding and packing all those pots. It was a mad dash to get the work done for the market but I did so it was good, even if I was dealing with emotions of the emotional kind cause like dead brother day and all. Oh Sean, I wish I could kick your ass.

It was also my moms birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM) and because I am me, the cook and baker, I was tasked with the birthday food for the birthday dinner. Long story short, I spent a better part of a day in the kitchen covered in flour making all the things. And I might have slightly burned a pie crust and stunk up the house while I was at it but it all turned out fantastic, moms loved her food and I spritzed lots of lavender and open all the windows in the house, to get rid of the smell so it ended well.

Yesterday was the Makers Market at the garden center, the one that I have been busting ass to make pots for for the past few weeks. I woke up real early, went for a sunrise run and almost fell into the pond (the trail is completely flooded and I wasn’t paying attention), drank all the coffee, and headed to the greenhouse and set up amongst all the plants. It was amazing. I got to walk around the greenhouse and take whatever plants I wanted for my display. (That was just the best). Plus a bunch of my people stopped in and said hi which was so sweet and made me happy. And it didn't hurt that I sold a lot of pots (made packing up soooo soooo much easier) . The whole day was a great success.. And a quick shout out to the mr for all his help. He really is a keeper.

And it’s Sunday and I am officially tapped out. The day of human interaction yesterday sucked all the extroverted energy I had stored from the past 2 years out of me. I feel caught up with seeing people now and can happily shut myself away again for another few years. Haha, but for real. Like seriously. So other then hiding from everyone today I think for the first time in a while I am not going to try and do a million things and work and be all crazy. Or I am but without any outside pressure because what I really want to do is spend the day cleaning out all the closets, deep clean my studio, clean out the garden beds, clean out the car, go for a hike, climb a mountain…. Obviously I can’t do ALL of that but damned if I won’t try. I. think it’s a spring adrenaline rush but who knows. I also might just crash and burn on the couch and read all day. Wouldn't be too terribly mad about that. I am a bit tired. 😁

Internet from the week.

-Hey mr. Please turn off you shit thank you very much. Sleeping with even a little bit of light isn't good for your health, study shows.

-Music Therapy Is More Powerful Than You Might Think. Music can make me smile, laugh, cry, and rage. It touches all the emotions.

-The light from this star that astronomers just spotted is 12.9 billion years old. Just wow.

-I cringed so hard reading these stories. As a landlord I can’t comprehend how someone could “fix” the way these landlords do but the thing is, I know it happened. We refer to these people as SLUMLORDS! 12 Horrible Stories of Grim Landlord DIY Fixes

-I don’t care how delightful you think a fruit sticker is, I cannot stand them. They drive me crazy and are straight up right there with candy wrappers …they make me want to gag. But that’s me. The delightful history of fruit stickers, the world’s tiniest canvases for graphic design

-We have come a far way. The new sober-ish. Tiny doses of magic mushrooms, LSD, and cannabis have hit wellness culture, while the stigma around the drugs recedes. Just don’t be stupid about it.

-For 35 years, Birkenstock lovers nationwide have sent worn-down shoes to this Kansas cobblery. Back in my teenage days I had couple pairs that went to the cobbler for new corks. God I wore the shit out of those sandals, in fact they were the only shoes I wore for many years, through the snow and all. (My toes are kinda fucked for it. Ha! )

-You don’t need to do anything but should you? Do You Really Need to Bake With a Scale?

-Then there is this. It’s Time to Talk About... Poop-Swoop Foods

Pictures from the week.

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In sunday happy Tags pottery, ceramics, stem+node, Vermont made, the great outdoors, everyday life, pictures froh week, pictures, garden, gardeners supply, family, spring, sunday happy
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